


First Visit

by Sylenis



Series: Don't be a Stranger (Kidge AU) [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, He's mostly messaging, Keith loves junk food, Post Season 8, Season/Series 08 Spoilers, he's lovely I love Hunk what a guy, mentions of Hunk - Freeform, you can tell I was hungry when writing most of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-09-21 06:46:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17038754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylenis/pseuds/Sylenis
Summary: "You ever think about all the different realities? Like, realities where Voltron never existed?""Theoretically those realities exist." Pidge waved a hand in Keith's direction. "Pass me that pair of pliers. Blue handle."A oneshot that has run away with me and now has two extra bits.This is the first thing I've ever written for VLD and I can't believe it's Kidge. Post s8, little shaky on what I kept canon-check the notes





	1. "Trust me, there is no 'better' you than you."

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've written that's not for Skies of Arcadia since.... 2004? So if anything's off... yeah. This is also the first thing I've ever posted to AO3 so I'm a little unsure on what tags I should use. Please let me know if there's anything that needs tagging.  
> I can't bear the idea of Allura being gone so she's mentioned here as if she's alive and well and living with Lance, but some of the things Keith talks about, well as the original scene came to me, I was still reeling from her death, so it sounds canon compliant, but maybe Keith is talking about other people they couldn't save?

The steel roofing panels lit up orange in the setting sun, glinting with a warm glow as he neared. One wall of the setup was devoted to large shutter doors, one of which was slid open up to the roof and there was a small figure visible inside. Hunched over various robotic parts and three glowing computer screens, sleeves rolled to her elbows was Pidge, and Keith smiled. Some things never change.

He trudged up the path, gravel crunching under his boots and when he reached the garage doors he leaned on them, hands shoved in the pockets of his thick leather jacket. She was tapping away at one of the screens, grumbling to herself, too quiet to hear.

 

"Hey, Pidge."  
"Matt, I said I'd-" Pidge inclined her head and then did a double take, "Wha- Keith? Keith! Hi, what are you doing here?"  
Keith pushed off from the wall and ambled closer, her bright smile washing over him and bathing him in warmth.  
"Your mom- she said she'd developed this new vegetable... family, mutation thing? It's supposed to be really rich in vitamins and stuff. She wanted me to come see, in case it was something relief efforts could use."

  
Pidge turned her stool, twisting so that she could face him, grinning up at him. He was tall, taller than she remembered, or maybe it had just been too long since she'd last seen Keith? His hair might have been an indicator, pulled back in a loose ponytail that was tucked into the collar of his dark leather jacket. He looked tired, probably from the travel from wherever in space he'd just been, but he wore an easy smile as he took in the sight of her oil-smudged lab coat, table littered with gadgets and gizmos, pencils stuck behind her ear and catching in her messy auburn bob.

"Do you want me to call her down? It's..." She glanced around, brows suddenly furrowed, "You know what? I don't know what time it is, hang on-"  
"It's about 19:00 hours. And it's OK, I'm a day early. I uh-" Keith shifted a little as he paused, "I came over here to see you, actually."  
"Me?" Pidge pushed her glasses up over her head and grinned, patting another stool. "Well- park your butt, Keith. You must be tired, right?"

  
Keith sank down gratefully into the stool next to her, suddenly sent back years, to the Castle of Lions on those nights where even the training deck couldn't wear him out. Late nights and early mornings where he and Pidge would sit in comfortable silence, the only lights from her computer screens, the only sounds the clacking of keys under her fingers, or occasionally the crunching of some weird alien snack food as a movie ran in the background. She returned her gaze to one of her screens, as though no time at all had passed since two gangly teens lost in space had found a quiet friendship in each other.

"How've you been? I can't remember the last time I saw you."  
"I'm good; we've been able to free a lot of occupied planets now, so at the moment we're organizing the distribution of supplies. Food, medicine, that kind of thing. Rebuilding takes time."  
"And when you're not working?" She eyed him from where she faced one of the laptops, hooked up to circuit boards and all manner of electronics he'd never be able to name. His face flickered in surprise before he shrugged.  
"Oh well, I guess I hang out on the planets while we're there?"  
"Is that all? Do you relax at all?"  
"Do you?" He countered, and she pinned him with a smirk.  
"Keith, come on, you know me. This IS me relaxing. This here?" She indicated the metal skeleton on the table next to her, "Just a little pet project of mine. This isn't work- it's aaalllll play." She gestured with a grin, before she cocked her head at him. "...Is that seriously all you do? Liberate planets and then sit around for a few days before flying off to the next?"

  
Keith flushed a little, tugging on a lock of his own hair as he leaned his elbows on the table.  
"I uh... I draw, sometimes." He mumbled, and Pidge leaned towards him, still wearing a half smile.  
"You draw?" She wondered if he'd ever have admitted this to the likes of Lance, or even Allura or Hunk. Probably Shiro? His cheeks were still a little pink but his eyes flickered back to her for a moment.  
"Yeah. Just... for fun, you know? Sometimes I write, too."  
"Like a diary? Fiction? Non-fiction? Ooh- are you writing your memoirs?"  
"Bit of a mix." He managed a shy smile in her direction. "depends how I'm feeling on the day."  
"Remember me when you're a universally famous author-illustrator, yeah?" Pidge grinned. It'd probably be too much for him to ask to see his work, even after all these years Keith was still a very private person, but he smiled back at her and shrugged. A beep sounded from the computer but they maintained eye contact.  
"You mean on top of us being universally famous war heroes?"

Pidge laughed and pulled the circuitry towards her, disconnecting it from the terminal.  
"Good point, fearless leader. Hey, grab me that tool box from the shelf over there?"  
Keith stood up, looking to where she'd pointed, and hefted the large green tool box from one of the many shelves, grunting as the angle and weight pushed against the muscles in his back.  
"Jeez Pidge, how did you get it up there, aren't you still only four foot tall?"  
Watch it bub, I'm the perfect height to break both your knees." Pidge scoffed, taking the toolbox and fishing around inside it. "And I'll have you know I'm 5"2, which is respectable for the modern woman, actually."  
"You're just jealous that I can reach the top shelf."  
"I think the thinner air up there is getting to you." Keith barked a laugh as he sat back down and resumed leaning on the table, content to watch her work.

Glasses pulled back down over her eyes, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before starting to fiddle with the machinery before her. It was an easy quiet, the kind Keith appreciated.  
Occasionally she asked him to pass her something from the toolbox, but mostly he just watched her, letting himself drift into his own thoughts a little.

"Keith?"  
He hummed in response, fiddling with an offcut of wiring.  
"I'm glad you came over. We don't hear from you much."  There was something to her tone, like this was bordering on becoming a lecture, but he couldn't be sure so he just shrugged one shoulder.  
"Oh, well... I just get caught up in stuff. it's not on purpose."  
"We all have busy lives, Keith, but I still video chat with Hunk every week. I hear from Allura and Lance too, and Shiro's over a lot. Face of the Atlas, you know? He gives talks sometimes. He and Matt got drunk last time, and fell asleep in the garden trying to sneak back in to the house. Anyway, point is, they miss you too." Keith smiled a little at the mental image of Matt and Shiro, tipsy and stumbling home, but didn't answer.  
"I just... I'm glad you came today. It... means we're still friends."

Keith twitched at her last sentence, and chewed on his lip. The subtle implication shocked him, and not because Pidge didn't normally do subtle. Did she think he thought they weren't friends?  
She wasn't looking at him still, instead focusing on her hands.  
"Pidge, we'll never not be friends." He said carefully, slowly. "It's just, even after all this time, it's still sometimes hard for me to believe that I have friends, you know? I get it though. I'll make more of an effort. Set an alarm and everything."  
"Good." Pidge nodded. "You should check in more. We can schedule group chats if you wanna speak to the others too. We're all friends here. Voltron or not, we all care about each other. We all care about you. Now hand me those wire clippers. The smallest ones."

Clearly the moment is now over. Pidge is done talking about feelings and is back to her tech. But Keith cocks his head, a thought he's had for a while coming back to him.

  
"You ever think about all the different realities? Like, realities where Voltron never existed?"  
"Theoretically those realities exist." Pidge waved a hand in Keith's direction. "Pass me that pair of pliers. Blue handle."  
He passed her the tool and watched as she clamped and snipped away at wire ends with precision, "Our lives would have been so different. Would we have even met? The paladins, I mean?"  
"Well, Hunk and Lance were in the same year at the Garrison, maybe they'd have been friends still. If Matt hadn't have gone missing, I might not have snuck into the Garrison, and... Would you have even been born?"  
Keith dropped the piece of wire he'd been twining round his fingertips, "what?"  
"Well, your mother only came to Earth because of the Blue Lion, right? If the Blue Lion didn't exist, would she have had a reason to come to Earth, meet your dad?"  
"Oh." Keith picked the wire back up, staring at his fingertips. "I guess not. Maybe I don't exist in certain realities."  
"Well, maybe a version of you would. If your mother met someone else in space, maybe another Blade member, or another alien and she'd have a... different Keith."

"...Yurak." Keith said softly.  
"You're... what?"  
"My father chose Keith. I saw them, in the Quantum Abyss. My mother wanted to call me Yurak."  
"Yurak, hmn?" Pidge paused to look him up and down, his thick messy hair tied back in a ponytail, dark eyes regarding her with a slight apprehension. "Yeah, I could see that."  
He huffed a laugh and Pidge returned to the casing in front of her and popped it closed, then tapped on the keypad. Nothing happened. "Damn it. Well, I'm glad you're Keith, OK?"  
"Yeah?" She didn't look up from where she was popping the framework back up and pulling out a nest of wiring, but she was smiling as she did so. Smiling for him.

  
"Pidge... Do- Do you think this is our original reality?"  
"Huh?" Pidge tore her gaze from the mess of wires in front of her and cocked her head in his direction. "I mean, I think so, but I guess there's room for error. If there are infinite realities it's likely there are realities that had the same readouts, composites and elements as ours, that would seem entirely the same, and possible we could have come back to one of those, but why ask me? Slav's the expert, and..." Something had occurred to her as she spoke, and she paused before continuing, a little quieter, "Why are you thinking about all this?"

  
Keith twirled a small wrench with one hand, focusing on it resolutely.  
"I think about it a lot, I guess. Sometimes things seem so weird. So disjointed. I can't really explain it. Sometimes, it's comforting to think that somewhere out there there's a reality where things went better." He glared at the reflection of his eyes in the silver tool before closing them.  
"And sometimes, it's the most terrifying thing in the world."  
"Because... somewhere out there, there are realities that are worse?" Pidge guessed.  
"Because somewhere out there, what if there's a better me? A better me, who made better decisions, the right decisions? Did things that were better for everyone. Did better by everyone? Saved more people?" His voice cracked as he spoke too fast, and Pidge finally lowered her tools and, a little flustered, placed a hand over the back of his nearest, clenched one. He jumped at the contact, but didn't recoil so she curled the tips of her fingers round to the inside of his palm.  
  
"Keith, stop. You can't think like that."  
He looked down at her hand over his, still refusing to make eye contact even as her amber gaze bored up into his face. "You've always done your best. There are just... Just some things we can't change, and sitting there going round in circles won't help. What if there IS a 'better' you? What if there's a better me? It's pointless."  
At this Keith snorted with laughter, taking her by surprise and he finally looked up at her, dark eyes unusually soft.

  
"Trust me, Pidge. There is no 'better' you than this you." He put down the wrench and covered her hand with his left one, his gloved palm dwarfing her tiny hand. He took note of her open mouth and wide eyes and glanced back down at their hands. "You're so strong. So smart, so fierce, so loyal. You fought for your family, fought for us, for Voltron. You've always had my back, always."

Pidge blew her cheeks out, feeling them redden even as she tried to shrug it off with a chuckle.  
"You're getting cheesy in your old age." They both laughed but remained like that, sitting side by side on the work stools, Keith's hands encompassing hers, warming the soft leather of his gloves.  
"I've missed this. I miss you."  
"Me?" Keith raised an eyebrow, giving her a lopsided smile.  
"Well- I miss you guys- all of you, but yeah, I miss you. You were probably the least annoying to live with."  
"Same to you... I miss you too." Pidge matched his smile and turned in her stool to lay her other hand on top of his. Keith took a breath as if to speak, then paused and swallowed.  
"Pidge, I..."  
  
"Keith! You're here early!"  
Both former paladins nearly twitched off their seats and their hands flew apart as they stared up at Colleen Holt.

  
"I- yes, Mrs. Holt. I just got here." Keith's hands were firmly balled in his lap and Pidge would have laughed if the look on her mother's face wasn't making her squirm.  
"Katie, you should have sent a message- I'd have laid an extra plate out." The smile she gave Pidge was too knowing, almost smug and she grumbled as she started tossing tools back into their box.  
"No, it's fine- I don't want to impose."  
"Nonsense Keith, it's no bother. I came down to drag Katie to dinner. You know her, she'd stay down here all week if we let her."  
Keith shot Pidge a look and grinned, "Yeah, that's Pidge."  
"Well, both of you get washed up, I'll get an extra plate. Where are you staying tonight, Keith?"  
"Oh- well, the sleeping quarters on my ship is pretty comfortable."  
"Not happening; you can have the guest room. I'll have Matt get you some towels."  
This time Pidge did laugh at Keith's fumbling, torn between not wanting to refuse a kind offer and not wanting to intrude. She grabbed his arm, standing on her toes as she jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Come on, Keith. I'll show you up to the washroom."

__________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt for a while that this was a little disjointed because the scene came to me as I was away from any method of writing it down. By the time I got home I remembered the beginning and the end, but I forgot how I wanted to bridge the lighter-hearted catching up into the more heavy conversation I wanted them to have, so it took a few deleted paragraphs before I felt OK with it. This is the first piece of writing I've publicly posted in years so I'm a little nervous TT_TT  
> I'm actually a bit of a multishipper (Keith/Shiro fan as well) so I'm surprised the first thing that I made in the aftermath of s8 was Keith/Pidge, but it is a relationship I really love, in all its forms, so maybe my brain is coping with the ending by saying "at least there's a chance for these two"? I dunno.  
> I have a bunch of other scenes like this in my head that would eventually progress into these two knuckleheads getting together. I may write and post them.  
> Thank you for reading, if you did :)  
> [ My Twitter where I draw and sew and swoon over Matt Holt](www.twitter.com/FeatherStitched)


	2. "Your heart for my snickers?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Any guy is immediately 10 times more attractive when he's good with animals. It's science!"  
> "You like him so much, you ask him out."
> 
> A second part I wasn't planning on doing, but I accidentally wrote it up AND thought of a third one. Damnit this wasn't supposed to become a story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd had a few ideas for a few oneshots but they weren't really going to be sequential, just... loosely connected in the same universe. But then I wanted to channel some of the sheer joy I've had reading Matt as a little shit, by writing Matt as a little shit.  
> Working my way up to writing other characters in :D

Sometimes after searching for, and missing your family for so long, it was nice to spend so much time with them.

Other times, it sucked.

Katie Holt inspected the pan she'd just scrubbed, deemed it clean and stacked it on the draining board. An excited barking made her look up, out of the window over the sink to see Bae-Bae scrambling across the grass after a ball, ploughing through a pile of leaves with pure joy.  
Keith straightened up from the throw, grinning, before turning to say something to the wolf that was ambling next to him, an exaggerated pout visible from the floodlights situated around the grounds and the glowing stripes on the large cosmic animal.

Looking behind him, his eyes caught hers through the window, and he raised a hand in a wave before Bae-Bae hurled herself at his legs, ball in mouth and tail wagging triumphantly. She waved back before plunging her hands back into the soapy water to fish more cutlery out.

"Wow, did Keith get hot. And a dog person to boot? Jackpot!"  
Pidge's hand closed around something in the water that she half hoped would be a knife. "Hello, Matt."

Her brother leaned back against the kitchen counters, tossing an apple up and down with one hand. The current bane of her existence had arrived to continue making her suffer.

Pidge found herself glancing almost wildly around the room. There was no escape. To get out of the kitchen and to the safety of her room would mean having to jostle past him and the island in the center of the kitchen. To her left the second door lead outside, but taking it now would surely result in more teasing. She could always just stick her head in the dishwater, drown herself she supposed.

"Hello, sister dear." Matt grinned, and took a bite from the apple. "You know if you ask nicely, I could finish up for you so you can go play with your boyfriend."  
Their mother had clearly made some sort of comment before dinner because on her arrival at the table with Keith, Matt's eyes were already lit up with glee, a thousand subtle jokes waiting on his tongue.  
Thankfully Keith had been pretty oblivious to most, but he knew Matt, and when he was up to something and had raised an eyebrow a few times. Pidge however had tried desperately to restrain from strangling her brother and she'd had to settle for kicking his shin under the table instead.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Pidge pointed the utensil she'd grabbed from the water at him. It was a spoon. Not incredibly intimidating, sadly. "And my patience with you is running thin."  
"You mean Katie and Keith _aren't_ sitting in a tree? Nice alliteration by the way."  
Pidge flicked water at him but he barely flinched. "You made that last joke already today. He's just a friend; you know that."  
"I'd never claim to know anything, darling sister of mine. However I'd love to know what mom caught you both up to in your garage-"  
"We weren't doing anything- just talking!"  
"Really? if I ask Keith he'll confirm you two weren't canoodling in there?"  
Pidge choked on her own spit and her voice pitched and cracked, "Matt! God, no!"  
"You're blushing." Triumph was gleaming in Matt's eyes as he cackled with laughter and she glared up at him as she squeezed the dishcloth out, pretending it was her brother's head.  
"Because I'm so embarrassed to hear my brother use the word 'canoodling', jeez."  
"Oh, so you weren't 'canoodling', you were straight up smoo-"  
"MATT!"  
Pidge took a deep breath, pulled the plug from the sink and balled her fists on the countertop.  
"Matt. I swear, he is just my friend. A teammate, a colleague. Whatever you think is going on? Isn't going on. He's here for work, that's all."  
Though as she spoke, his words carried through her mind, _"I came over here to see you, actually."_

"If you say so," Matt replied cheerily, tossing the finished apple core across the room into the bin. He stretched, cracking his back with a sigh. "But just so you know, as your older brother I'd approve. I've known Keith since he was a cadet; he's a good guy."   
"I don't need you to tell me that," Pidge said, watching through the window as the man in question feigned a throw that had both dog and space creature scrambling in circles, searching for the ball hidden in his hand. "And I wouldn't need your approval, either. IF it was a thing that I was even thinking about." Matt pulled plates from the rack and began drying them as Pidge sorted clean cutlery back in their rightful places.  
There was a heavy thump from outdoors and they both jumped and looked out to see the wolf had pounced on Keith to wrestle the ball from him. Pidge snorted with laughter as the figure outside squirmed and fought back, the window muffling his laughter. When the wolf broke away with his prize and Keith got to his feet, Pidge looked back at Matt who was still grinning out of the window.  
"Well, I think I see a thing. But if you say it's not a thing it's not a thing."  
"Damn straight it's not a thing. Get your eyes checked."

  
Matt just gave her a knowing smile, and the skittering of claws on tiles announced Bae-Bae's return, along with a dishevelled looking Keith. There was a leaf in his hair and a streak of mud on the elbow of his jacket. The boots in his hand were suitably scuffed with more leaves stuck to the soles.  
"He realised I was hiding the ball." he said gruffly about the mud and foliage, though there was a half smile on his face as he mentioned his wolf. "Am I OK to take a shower?"  
"Sure, knock yourself out." Pidge shrugged, bending down to pat the dog so she didn't have to look at her brother.  
"If the wolf doesn't first." Matt chimed in. Keith nodded his thanks and made his way through the kitchen and towards the rest of the house. He also had mud on his butt.  
"Come onnn," Matt cajoled as they watched him disappear, nudging her with his elbow.  
"Come on what?"  
"Any guy is immediately 10 times more attractive when he's good with animals. It's science!"  
"You like him so much, you ask him out." Pidge grumbled back, though she grinned when he sighed dramatically, fluttering a hand over his heart and tossing his hair as he slumped backwards over the island counter.  
"Would that I could, but alas! My heart belongs to another!"  
"So why don't you go attend to matters of your own heart instead of meddling where it's not wanted?"  
"Unrelated," Matt opened one eye to check the device on his wrist, "I am actually due a video call in a few minutes. Later, Pidge. Give Keith my love."  
"Give it to him yourself." She called to his retreating back, throwing a sponge at the back of his head. He laughed and sped up out of the room, leaving Pidge alone.

The kitchen felt quiet now without Matt's chattering. Bae-Bae was snuffling on her back in a basket, completely dead to the world. At this time her mother would likely be running evening checks on the greenhouses, and her father was probably buried in paperwork. Where the Space Wolf was, she had no idea. When not glued to Keith's side, he seemed to enjoy doing his own thing, almost like an Earth cat.  
It wasn't late, not for Pidge anyway, so she poured a glass of juice from the fridge and sat up at the counter, sipping slowly and opening up the device on her wrists to view her messages on the holo-screen. It had been a slow day and yet her inbox was still backed up. Several chat boxes were blinking and she opened the most recent one, laughing under her breath as she read through and started typing a reply.

  
_-You'll never guess who's come for a visit. Hint, he's grumpy, grizzled and smells like wolf drool-_

_-Wolverine?-_

_-Shiro please-_  
  
"Anything interesting?"  
Keith was back, donning fresh clothes, a soft jumper and pair of sweatpants. His long hair was still wet, loose and dripping onto the towel around his neck. He padded over to the sink and filled a glass with water.  
"Hmmn, a few reports, spam mail, the usual. The others know you're here; I took the liberty of sending a message. Hunk and Shiro say hi." The screen was beeping a mile a minute, Hunk asking if Pidge had said hi for him yet, had Keith said hi back, did that mean Kosmo was there too, say hi to Kosmo, was Keith eating enough?

"They there now?" He perched on a stool next to her, craning over her shoulder to look. "Tell Hunk your mom's gonna make sure I leave several pounds heavier... Lance not there?"  
"No, this is a secret chat. We're taking bets on when Lance is gonna propose." Keith raised his eyebrows over his glass and lowered it, smirking.  
"I want in."  
"Thought you might." She began counting off her fingers with a grin. "Shiro thinks he's gonna do it at the Winter Solstice party -which he says you're coming to, by the way, no excuses- but Hunk thinks he'll chicken out until at least next Easter."  
Pidge paused, taking a swig of juice and adjusting her glasses for effect, and said, " _I_ think he'll wait for Valentine's Day. The guy is a walking rom-com trope when it comes to Allura. He'll not be able to resist the idea, all the trimmings, cakes and festivities."  
Keith put a hand to his chin, eyes closed and hummed to himself.  
"You _are_ right about the rom-com thing."  
"We're putting a pool in- $50 each. So, are you in? Want to bet money at the expense of our beloved friends?" He opened one eye to look at her and the messages still moving up the screen, pursing his lips.  
"Allura." He said finally, still tapping his chin.  
"Allura?"  
"Allura will propose. Not Lance."  
Pidge began furiously tapping on her screen again. "Ooh, an ambitious angle- wait," she slowed, and stared at him suspiciously.

He gave her an innocent look back, eyebrows slightly raised and eyes widened, but they darted left and back to Pidge.  
"Has she... said anything to you?"  
"No." He said firmly, "I'm hurt you think I'd cheat, Pidge. Especially when it comes to our friends' love lives. Besides, I bet you were going to put the Valentine's idea in his head yourself."  
"No! Well, maybe a little hint here or there..."  
"I'm telling Shiro, accusing me of your own crime like that."  
"OK, OK, alright, I'm sorry. OK then, Keith officially... 'bets Allura will be the one to propose'." She hit send on her message and grinned back up at him even as her monitor beeped with Hunk's multiple responses. He took another sip of his drink.  
"...But we HAVE been emailing."  
"What?!"  
"That's not _saying_ anything. It's typing. Completely different." Pidge sputtered for a moment as he calmly patted the ends of his hair with the towel, catching more droplets.  
"Keith, you absolute ass!"   
"I'll split the pool money with you when she pops the question."  
"...Fine." She huffed and when Keith held out his hand, she eyed it warily.  
"Deal?"  
"Deal." She shook his hand once, cool from holding the glass and then whipped back to the screen. Keith raised an eyebrow at the glancing contact, and back at her still rather sullen expression.

  
"Everything OK? I can withdraw my bet, go for some other holiday."  
"Hmn? Oh." She looked down at where he was still lowering his hand. "It's nothing. I just don't want my family to catch us holding hands twice in one day."  
"Oh... Wait- Is THAT what Matt was getting at?" His eyebrows raked his hairline, but he didn't even have the gall to look embarrassed. Pidge scowled at the screen.  
"He thinks he's being funny. I'm surprised you're not more..." _what? Upset? Embarrassed? At least slightly ruffled?_ "Annoyed."  
"Matt's Matt. I got used to him back in the Garrison; he's harmless."  
"Says you, he's been nearly relentless this evening."

The tips of her ears were turning pink, and she didn't look up even as he looked at her, frowning. Keith had recognised the look in Matt's eye at dinner- that he had found something highly amusing, and he had noticed some of the jokes directed at Pidge but, honestly? He'd been too caught up in a combination of exhaustion from travel and pure bliss at the warm, delicious, Earth meal in front of him. He'd written it off as regular sibling shit, focusing instead on second helpings and running over a few more interesting reports with Sam.  
Looking back on it, there had been a few more jabs he should perhaps have understood. Maybe he was still tired, but he just couldn't dredge up the energy to be annoyed at Matt. It bothered him more that Pidge seemed to feel awkward about it.  
"How about I promise to keep my hands to myself for the rest of my visit?"

"Sounds good to me, Mister." Matt strode back into the kitchen, straight for the pantry and there was a large amount of crackling and crinkling as he rummaged through the shelves, almost covering up Pidge's groan about speaking of the devil. He popped his head out, a family sized bag of chips visible under one arm as he wagged a finger at the two of them. "Your mysterious bad-boy schtick might have a certain Pigeon all a twitter-"  
"I'll also tell Matt to lay off his weak attempts at humor." Keith's tone was clipped, but he offered Pidge a knowing smile that Matt wouldn't be able to see from over there.

"I'm offended." Matt emerged from the pantry, pout visible over the vast amount of junk food in his arms. "I thought you loved me, Keith!"  
"Ah, I've figured you out- you're secretly jealous that Pidge gets all my attention, right?"  
"Yes! I want you all to myself! All I want is to run away into space with you, Keith! Won't you take my hand in yours, say you'll be mine? I'll offer you my heart, my body, my _soul_ -"  
"No thanks, but I will settle for that bag of mini snickers." Matt glanced down at his armload, a packet of mini snickers balanced precariously between the chips and a tube of cookies.  
"Is that a deal? Your heart for my snickers?"

  
"MY Snickers, actually." Pidge piped up. "You don't even like peanuts, give them back."  
"You heard the lady. You'll have to win me over some other way."  
"Fine, take the shattered remains of my heart." Matt slapped the bag into Keith's outstretched hand and started heading for the hallway, "I'm out of here; I wasn't supposed to get caught up down here with you two nerds."  
He poked his head back through the doorway, a smirk of pure evil glee on his face, "but I did get you to admit Pidge is the center of your attention."

Not for the first time today, Pidge reeled back her arm to throw something. Keith put a hand to her arm as Matt's cackling trailed up the stairs.  
"Don't waste a perfectly good snickers on him." He plucked it out of her hand, unwrapped it and bit down into the candy. "Mmf, God tha's good- I miss junk food so much."  
"Don't you take some with you?" Pidge resumed her idle swiping between chats and pages on her screen, now that Matt was out of the way. Keith took his time chewing, savouring it.

  
"Zethrid raided my last stash. Red velvet cookies, jerky strips, m&ms, all gone." He closed his eyes in mourning and said softly, with real pain, "Ezor took all the sour gummies."  
"My condolences" She patted him on the back and he took another snickers from the bag, flopping forwards onto the counter so that his chest and chin rested on top, arms outstretched as he contemplated the candy in his hands.  
"I miss potato skins. And fried chicken. And curly fries with cheese."  
"Stop, you're making me drool."  
"Funnel cake," he moaned wistfully, "Pizza with stuffed crust." Pidge rolled her eyes; he sounded downright pathetic, even as her own stomach perked up at the mention of all that cheese.  
"If I promise to take you out for junk food before you go will you stop talking about it?"  
"Yeah?" He looked up at her with a slightly dazzled look in his eyes. "Onion rings too?"

Actually, judging by the bags underneath them, he was probably reaching the end of his second wind. Who knew how long he'd been traveling, and now clean and full, exhaustion must be setting in. That had to explain the dopey grin on his face.  
"You're tired. Go to bed, Keith and I promise tomorrow we'll go find the cheapest, greasiest joint in town and order one of everything with all the toppings."  
"Ugh yes." He stretched his arms out and groaned. "And ice cream after."  
"We'll end up in a food coma, I promise."  
"Sounds like a date." He said, and Pidge felt her glasses steam up as she jerked her head to stare at him, mouth gaping. The look on his face was highly reminiscent of Matt, a toothy grin, and as his eyebrows wriggled she realised he was making a joke. She huffed and shoved his shoulder as he laughed.  
"I'm in the mood to commit double murder tonight, I swear. Go to bed now and I might spare you."  
"OK, OK. Goodnight, Pidge." he smirked as he picked up his glass and headed off, shooting her a last grin as he passed through the doorway.

  
Pidge grumbled to herself for a moment, and then looked down at her screen to open a chat with Hunk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pidge has a high tech holo-screen gadget organizer thingie, but washes dishes by hand? Sssh don't question it, probably one of the siblings took apart the dishwasher for parts. I also took things like Keith's apparent liking for fast food (that one paladin quiz) and him trying to throw sticks for the wolf and just ran with them. 
> 
> ...I wasn't happy with the epilogue or the end of season 8. I hate that they let Allura die so easily, and I hate that the epilogue cards showed the paladins kind of doing their own thing and not really seeing much of each other? it brings back to mind Keith's rant in s7 when they're lost in space, asking if they're friends and just together because of coincidences. The epilogue kind of feels like that's all they were in the end. Just kids forced together because of coincidences. If this becomes a full on story I'll have to think harder about what to keep canon. So far, Allura is fine (you decide how she survived, I'm open to all the options I've seen on Twitter) and though I didn't *mind* Keith or Pidge's ending, I think all the paladins would struggle to be apart, and I would rather they found time to do things together, come back to Earth more or go offplanet together, and their missions could crossover as they all work towards helping the universe.  
> [ My Twitter where I draw and sew and swoon over Matt Holt](www.twitter.com/FeatherStitched)


	3. "It suits you. The purple."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Have you met me? I'm not a very diplomatic person."  
> Keith snorted, "you can say that again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My idea to write a few oneshots that were loosely connected fell apart as I wrote the second piece that continued directly from the first, and then this one that continues directly from the second, so now I'm like "shit this is a story." so I'll finish this one up and see where we go from there. (maybe part 2 would be that solstice party- all the others can come, yay!)
> 
> In this chapter, Keith gets his curly fries.

Hunk's words still flashed every time she closed her eyes, as if the screen was still up in front of her.  
  
_**Hunk-**  Maybe the reason you're getting so worked up is because you maybe actually like Keith?-_  
  
_**Pidge-**  Of course I like Keith. He's our friend-_  
_  
**Hunk-** I mean LIKE like  
-Sorry.   
-Tone's hard to convey with text.   
-But you guys were always close. - _  
  
She could practically hear his voice in her head. The way he'd say those words, shoulders shrugging up earnestly, gentle but prodding, pushing her in a direction she wasn't sure she liked.   
  
_**Hunk** -He always seemed to like you best. After Shiro, obviously.   
-And me ;)   
-have you asked Shiro?   
-you should totally ask Shiro he's so good at giving advice.   
-I could go get him he's awake.   
-I can hear him laughing.  
-I think he's talking to someone  
-Pidge?   
-you there? -_  
  
_**Pidge-** I'm here. I don't think I like Keith that way. -  
  
**Hunk-**  you think or you know? -  
  
**Pidge-**  it's just weird.   
-We talked a lot today.  
__-It's been nice seeing him. I think he misses everyone but doesn't want to say so. I told him to message us more but we might need to poke him into it._ _  
-Matt's teasing doesn't normally bother me.  
-he said he thinks he sees a 'thing' and I think he was serious that time.   
-Maybe it's nostalgia? Maybe I feel so happy about him visiting because it's been so long? -_  
  
**Hunk-** _absence makes the heart grow fonder :) -  
  
**Pidge-**  Please don't start.-_  
  
_**Hunk-** honestly Pidge? _  
_-take your time to think about this._  
_-Maybe you're right. Maybe it's nostalgia._  
_-Maybe you set your glasses to Rose tinted, haha._  
_-Or maybe you're messaging your best friend in the middle of the night to talk about A GUY. :P_  
_-either way._  
_-don't worry._  
_-I know you. I know you'll figure it out._  
_-you always figure everything out. You always keep a cool head and think things through._  
_-this won't be any different.  
-You got this! :)-_  
  
The coffee machine ceased its grinding, and Pidge grabbed the steaming mug gratefully. She had been late to rise which wasn't unusual or a problem, just that everyone else had already left. The Garrison had learned early on that Pidge made her own hours, and no amount of nagging or threatening was going to change that. Her output was still better than anyone else's in the department. People had come to terms with the fact that the tiny genius ambled in and out of the grounds as she pleased, shooing away well-meaning officers attempting to help her as tall towers of machinery or paperwork swayed in her arms. It was no Olkarion, but her designs were the best this side of the galaxy- well, until the next day when she'd come in with new plans for more improvements,  _again_.  
  
Coffee.  
Shower.  
Work.  
Time to push all those stupid thoughts away and focus on work. Work was good. Work kept her brain occupied. Finding a problem to work on would focus her, zone in on the thoughts that mattered and clear a path through the mess.   
  
Hair up.  
Headphones on.  
Screens open.  
Work.  
  
_________  
  
Keith was fond of the Holts. Matt was the first he'd met back at the Garrison; he'd managed to avoid any run-ins with officers while Samuel Holt was present, but Matt and Shiro were friends and Shiro had been quick to introduce them. Maybe he thought Keith could use a friend closer in age, or another role model in the friendly nerd, but either way he'd been grateful. Matt was hard working yet pretty easy-going, and had a mischievous side that he appreciated.  
  
Then two years later he'd met Pidge, hoiking an unconscious Shiro into her arms and doing a double take as she met his eyes. It hadn't taken long to put two and two together. He'd heard all about Matt's little sister, obvious that he adored her from all the stories, but he hadn't been prepared for just  _how_ fierce she was. How smart and resourceful. If Matt had a streak of determination and mischief, Pidge had it in spades. Sometimes those nights in the Castle of Lions had reminded him of afternoons at the Garrison, especially with that choppy haircut and round spectacles.  
Shiro was considered an honorary Holt, and their friendship had earned Keith a glowing recommendation in Sam and Colleen's eyes. The fact that he was friends with their children didn't hurt either.   
  
At first there was a strange discomfort whenever he was invited over. There had been an odd ache in his chest, sitting at the dinner table and seeing clearly how Matt and Pidge had grown up- a mother who was not only present but doting, a kind and supportive father who came back when he said he would- until the time he hadn't, he'd had to remind himself. He and the Holt siblings had that in common.  
He'd pushed it down, reminded himself it was not about him. He'd found his mother, and he'd found family in the Paladins and some of the Blades. He'd learned to accept the kindness of the Holts, and with every invite for dinner and carefully taped care package the ache had slowly dissolved.  
  
Pidge definitely got a lot of her personality from her mother. Colleen Holt had been talking Botany for what seemed like hours on their tour. At least when Pidge and Hunk talked mechanics he could mostly follow along, but he didn't know a lot about plants, apart from which desert plants were safe to eat or touch, and which ones definitely weren't. Some of those lessons had come from his father, others from personal experience.  
  
The Garrison greenhouses were relatively quiet- there was a low hum from the generators that stabilised the environments in each contained area, but most of the walkways were empty. Some of the sections were sweet smelling, warm and humid. Others were dry like the desert, and a couple were even kept cold. A few officers and staff bustled around, but nobody bothered them aside from the odd greeting or delivery of a paper report.    
  
The alien fruit Colleen had produced was small, round and a shade of purple that might have weirded him out a few years ago, but these days he barely noticed.  
"Its shelf life is already pretty impressive- harvested they stay edible for up to two phoebs, and we're testing preservation methods like freezing to see how they come out at the other end."  
Keith twisted one between finger and thumb to get a better look, before glancing up at Colleen. "Do you mind?"   
"Not at all." With a sharper tug he plucked the fruit and raised it closer to his face, sniffed and then took a bite. Not bad.  
"And the nutritional value report is in here?" He cracked the folder and read along as she explained the codes, the vitamins and what they could mean for certain planets.  
  
"I've been working with soil samples Matt and Shiro brought back from their last trip; the plan is to engineer fertilizers that will restore the natural balance of soils where the Galra occupations drained them. Of course, that means figuring out what the ideal balance is for each planet, we're relying on information from each planet's own scientists."  
"I can send over some more reports from some of the places I've been lately. There might be useful information."  
"That would be very helpful, yes."  
  
They chatted for a little while longer as they walked up and down the aisle of plants, Colleen checking monitors and adjusting things occasionally as they went along. Someone stopped them with a report for Colleen, and Keith took the quiet opportunity to check for his own messages, frowning at the screen.   
  
________________________________  
  
"Report for you, Miss Holt."  
Pidge removed her glasses and pinched her eyes, rubbing them. The pressure felt good. She held out her arm blindly, "gimme."  
"Here you go, Ma'am."  _Ma'am?_! She glanced up from the folder to see the cadet, stood to attention, looking apprehensive. Probably new.  
"'Pidge' is fine, actually."  
"Yes, Miss Pidge."   
"Close enough." Her eyes found the clock. She was used to losing large chunks of time while working, so the display that read a little past 1800 didn't phase her, even though her last look had been at 1300 when she went for more coffee and a snack.  
Her messages were flashing on the furthest side screen. Two from Matt that simply read "EAT LUNCH." and "NO, coffee is not lunch. Love you, sis."   
There was another message from her father, several work emails, and then- right at the bottom, from Keith.  
_\- 15:01: Did you still want to get dinner tonight?-_  
_\- 15:16: Just wanted to check. No big.-_  
_\- 16:30: It's OK if you changed your mind. I don't mind. I know you have a lot of work.-_  
  
Damnit. She rolled her chair closer to the screen and yanked herself closer to the interface.  
  
_-Sorry! I got lost in work. Only just saw this. I'd love to eat copious amounts of cheese and grease with you_  
_-If you still want to I mean-_  
  
She paused, watching the screen, waiting for his response. There was a small sinking feeling in her gut, unrelated to her hunger. She didn't like that she'd left him waiting for a response all afternoon.  
_-Of course I still want to.  
-Let me know when you're available. I'm at the Garrison greenhouses so I'll come get you.-  
  
_The first two messages came in quickly, then there was a small pause as his name flashed with the icon that he was typing.  
_-I thought my stupid joke might have made you feel awkward-  
  
_Oh. Oh no.  If she could she'd kick herself. She should have sent a message when she first realised they'd missed each other that morning. Her fingers faltered over the keys. She should apologise. Admit she was a big dumb idiot. Admit she'd been fretting all night to Hunk and deliberately trying to keep herself busy. It was all her fault, not his. He hadn't done anything wrong.   
No, she'd go for lame humor like a coward.  
  
_-That's my secret Keith, I'm always awkward-_  
_-I can finish up here if you're ready?-_  
  
_-OK. On my way-_  
  
Pidge nodded to herself and turned back to the second screen that was currently beeping, a program finished running. Something to occupy her while she waited. Work was good.  
  
________________________________  
  
"I thought you were finishing up?"   
Pidge started guiltily, and turned to give Keith a sheepish grin. "I... thought I'd run this code while I waited?"   
He raised a eyebrow from where he leaned against the doorway.   
"It's turned cold out, you got a coat?"  
"Yeah, hang on-" She tapped a few keys, then stood up from her desk and started picking her way through the several boxes and piles of paperwork, machinery, terminals and who knew what else strewn across the room. Keith was gazing around the room, at the clutter of boxes, towers of tools and stacks of binders with pots of pens balanced on top.   
"How do you find anything in here?" He almost sounded in awe as he pulled his hood back down, "I'm afraid to help in case I trip- are those the trash caterpillars?"  
"Generation two of the Trash-erpillar family, actually." Pidge answered, bending over a large computer terminal that was currently a perch for a green fluffy creature, "And I have a  _system,_ I'll have you know-"she straightened up in triumph, shrugging on a puffy khaki coloured coat. "see? Coat."  
"Scarf? Gloves?" He pressed, indicating his own thick purple scarf, twisted around his neck over the collar of his battered bike jacket. She stepped back over another box, feeling in the pockets of the coat, pulling out a pair of sparkly black wool gloves and flapping them at him, grinning.  
"OK, that's two out of three."  
"The hood is furry," she preened, fluffing it up around her neck as Keith rolled his eyes, and nodded his head towards the door.  
  
"What are you in the mood for then?" She asked as she scanned her ID to lock the door behind them.   
"Not sure yet. It's all different now- I don't recognise half of it. You wanna stay in town or go to the city?"  
"Well," Pidge led the way down the halls, zipping her coat up as they walked, "If we stay in town, and you still want the ice cream you mentioned, we'd be able to take it back home, find a bad movie?"  
"You remembered the ice cream thing?"  
"Photographic memory when it comes to dairy." She tapped her glasses, "I remember any and all potential promises of ice cream." He snorted and jammed his hands into his pockets as they left for the exit.  
"A bad movie sounds good."   
She scanned their way into the front reception of the building, and blanched as she saw Matt talking to another officer over one of the desks. Matt saw them first and waved.  
"Pidge? Heading home before the night staff arrive? I'm surprised you're not being dragged out, kicking and pulling up the tiles."   
  
"Pidge promised me we'd get food tonight." Keith said as they drew level with him, "You wanna come?"  
"Yeah it's gonna be a full-on cornucopia of fried goods and sugary drinks. It's totally your bag." Matt cocked his head, considering, and Pidge braced herself for what would come next, but-   
"Hmn, it's OK. I got work waiting at home. Have fun, bring me a doggy bag?"  
"If there's anything left when we're through." Pidge smirked up at him, and he winked back.   
"Don't stay out too late, I'll tell mom you're going out for dinner."  
"Thanks, Matt." Pidge touched Keith's arm to nudge him along to the door, "see you later!"  
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," He called to them with a laugh as she threw her tiny frame against the heavy glass doors.  
  
Damn, it  _was_  cold. Pidge winced as the autumn night air hit her in the face. If she didn't know any better she'd say Keith's smile was a little smug.  
"Glad I made you get that coat?"  
Yes. It was smug.  
"I'm not built for the cold," she huffed, slipping her gloves on and stomping her boots. She tucked her hood up as they headed into town, but her nose and lips were already cold. She brought a gloved hand to breathe warm air into as a breeze whipped past and Keith stopped walking, looking down at her and gave her a look.  
  
"Come here." He unraveled the scarf from around his neck, and Pidge shook her head as he pushed her hood back.  
"Keith no," She groaned as he ran it through both hands, grabbing each end and bringing the scarf around her neck even as she tried to push his arms away, "what about you?"  
"I'll be fine. Alien DNA and all that." Both his arms around her head, she had no room but to look up at him. His face was so close, his eyes were so dark, hooded as they focused downwards on his task before looking back up into her face, warm as he offered her a half smile. "You're smaller than me, retain less heat."  
"How chivalrous," She remarked dryly as he brought his hands back round, tying the scarf off and tucking it into her coat, never breaking eye contact even as he tugged her hood back up. She knew her face was probably patched pink, and she hoped he'd write it off as the cold.

Part of her wanted to tell him off for dressing her like a doll, make him take the scarf back, but the look he gave her was so soft that she bit her lip instead as he straightened back up. It was thick and soft, a plain, smooth knit length but it immediately blocked the wind from her neck and jaw. She inhaled, and nearly swayed on her feet. It smelled nice. Woody, and something sharp, like cinnamon.

It made her head swim. Chancing a glance up at him, he was pulling the strings on his hood, tightening it around his neck and then popped the collar of his coat. "See? Fine. Come on."   
He strode off so suddenly that Pidge's brain stalled, and she had to make her legs work again, hurrying after him down the street.  
  
________________________________  
  
  
"Glad we didn't go to the pizza place?" The burgers looked amazing but Keith had made a beeline for the onion rings first, hooking one around his finger and then immediately dropping it onto his napkin, cursing and blowing on his burned hand.  
"Yeah," he looked up at her, still shaking his hand, "honestly, Lance's mom's garlic knots ruined me for all other garlic breads."  
"True, true." Pidge smirked, poking the straw through the plastic lid of her drink. "They are Heaven in the shape of a dough ball."  
"For once he wasn't exaggerating; they're amazing."  
After ambling through town, past newer alien food joints, noodle bars and pizza shacks they'd settled on a diner that had everything. Keith made another attempt at the onion ring and this time he sank his teeth into it with a muffled moan. It was enough to make Pidge grab one too and for a while they just ate in happy silence. They'd discarded their coats and scarf on the end of the booth against the windows, leaving Pidge in her green jumper dress and leggings, Keith in a pair of heavy trousers that looked distinctly Marmoran, and a simple button down shirt from his meetings at the Garrison. On a weeknight like this the diner wasn't too busy, the warmth and low buzz of the other patrons more cozy than overbearing.  
  
 The sides were soon demolished, Pidge trying to figure out how to even get her mouth around the large burger as Keith flicked the sliced tomatoes across his tray. His appetite had been almost comical, and she resolved to get him to come out like this more often, perhaps something she could rope Hunk and Lance into helping with. First step would be to get him on the same planet as everyone else once in a while.  
  
"Do you miss Earth?" Pidge was tearing her food into chunks and popping them into her mouth, prompting a funny look from him.  
"It's... complicated." He stared down at his meal. "I didn't, at all. When we first left. I had nothing on Earth, you know?"  
"I know."  
"I had no family. No education. No future. All I had left was Shiro, and then he was with me again. As far as I was concerned, I didn't care if I ever came back to Earth. Being a paladin, fighting alongside and protecting you guys, that was so much more important to me. I just wanted to do something good with my life.  
"And then, you know, I found my mom. I had you guys, I had the blades. And it was all still in space so I still didn't care about going 'home'. when I had everything I needed out there.  
"It's different now though. We're all split up. The others are doing that Diplomatic gig. My mom and Kolivan are doing blade stuff, But now it brings everyone down here more often. You and Matt are here, with the Garrison. I think it's easier to miss, when I know there are people I love here."

  
"Aw, you love us." Pidge teased and he pulled a face at her.  
"What about you? You didn't go for the Diplomacy thing; you took that contract at the Garrison. When was the last time you went offplanet?"  
"Have you met me? I'm not a very diplomatic person."  
Keith snorted, "you can say that again."  
"I guess I just wanted to take some time to be with my family. The contract seemed like an easy excuse, plus I enjoy the work." She rattled her drink to check the levels and took a sip,  
"It's over soon though. I think I'll probably look for something to do outside Earth. I always wanted to go to space, you know? Before the Kerberos mission. Getting into the Garrison and enlisting like Matt, it was what I wanted. It's what I still want. Space travel, I mean. Maybe I can join up with Allura and the others, or visit the Olkari."  
"There's always a spot open on my ship, if you wanted it." He said, and then seemed to falter, coughing behind his fist, "I mean, working with the Olkari is probably way more interesting, but we can always use an extra pair of hands."  
"I'll think on it." Pidge promised, "And it is interesting. What you're doing with the Blades is amazing. I really admire you. We all do."  
If he was flushed before, he turned bright red now, hiding behind his hair as he mumbled something she couldn't quite hear. She smirked and sat back to finish her burger.  
  
________________________________  
  
"I'll take the double fudge brownie to go, please."  
"And I'll get the salted caramel. And a mint chip too."  
"You're insatiable." Pidge quirked her eyebrow at Keith, who just grinned. She turned back to the counter, cash in hand, and then paused.  
"Do you still do Banoffee cheesecake? It's my brother's favourite."  
  
They collected their paper bags and stepped out of the parlour. Pidge whipped her arm up to point ahead, down the street, "Onward, to become one with the sofa and watch terrible movies!" Her parka coat flapping around her skinny legs like wings, Keith's scarf trailing behind her, he was reminded of a small bird skittering on the breeze as she marched ahead.  
"Not so fast," he called, and she turned to look at him, cheeks pink from the biting cold, golden eyes bright in the streetlights. She was pretending to look annoyed, but the lingering buzz from good food and promise of dessert had her lips twitching upwards, her smile visible even around the purple fabric of his scarf tucked around her chin.  
"Do you want it to melt?" She huffed, but waited for him to catch up.   
"It won't, promise." He put two fingers to his mouth, and let out a short whistle. Immediately there was a soft - _pop_ \- and the wolf appeared, hazy orbs of light wafting upwards.

"We're going to take a shortcut." Ignoring the few people on the streets who'd stopped to stare at the large luminescent creature, he touched the wolf's shoulder, "wanna take us home, buddy?"  
The wolf huffed and pressed against Pidge until she wrapped a hand through his fur. He was already as tall as her, his head massive as he snuffled at her bag.   
"Hey, don't be rude. I got you one- leave Pidge's alone."  
Pidge laughed and then held her breath as the familiar squeeze fell over her, and in a flash of blue, they were suddenly on well-known gravel, her house mere feet away.   
"Wolf travel is still the coolest." She was laughing, the wolf watching him intently as he fished out the little tub of green ice cream.  
"Mint is his favorite," he held out the plastic bowl and the wolf snapped it from his hand, licking eagerly and making ridiculous noises, trying to force his large muzzle into the bowl to get to the inner rim. "Good boy."

  
They shed their boots and coats in the doorway, Pidge carefully folded the scarf up, and held it out to Keith. For a moment he paused with his hand on the scarf, looking as though he was going to say something, and she pressed it up into his hands.  
"Keep it," He said in a rush, "I don't need it."  
"I have plenty of scarves, Keith."  
"I can pick it back up next time I visit. Winter Solstice? Plus..." He dropped his gaze, cheeks turning pink, "It suits you. The purple." Pidge was pretty sure her face rivaled his in colour, and wordlessly she let him push the material back into her arms. She wanted to say thanks, or tell him not to be stupid and take the damn thing, but her voice wasn't working. Her brain seemed to have crashed, come to a dead stop. He was still avoiding her eye, staring instead at his hands still atop the bundle.  
It was only when a shout from the kitchen carried through to the hallway that they both jerked back into the present, her pulse thrumming in her chest and head.  
"Is that you guys back? What did you bring me?" To think she was grateful for one of Matt's interruptions. She breathed out, steadying herself. The moment was broken, Keith putting his boots neatly away next to hers, Pidge digging in the bag for Matt's dessert.  
  
"Banoffee pie and vanilla." Pidge called as they padded through to the kitchen. Upon seeing the container in her hands Matt let out a squeal of joy akin to a child at Christmas, taking it as though it were a holy talisman. "I love you," he breathed, Pidge laughing as she collected drinks from the fridge and nodded her head back towards the door.  
  
The sofas in the den were comfortable and squashy, Pidge grabbed a plush tartan throw with a fluffy lining that was clearly her favourite and started building a nest around herself with various pillows and throws. When Keith perched himself on the other end of the sofa she threw a pillow at his head to get his attention and lifted the blankets up.  
"Movie night rules, you have to get in the blanket nest."   
"Fine," he pretended to huff and shuffled in closer, letting her tuck the blanket around both their legs and fluff up the pillows. She passed him the remote and then cracked the lid of her ice cream, "Pick your poison, guest of honor. What should we watch?"  
  
Somewhere around the middle of the second movie, Keith might have dozed off. All of a sudden the scene on screen had changed and he wasn't sure how. He started to ask Pidge, but she was asleep. Tucked up against him, her head rested on his chest as she snuffled lightly. She was still sitting, legs tucked up, arms folded in her lap but slumped towards him, face hidden by her tangle of hair.  
 His breath caught on her name and he closed his mouth. Gingerly he extracted his arm from one of the blankets and tapped her head.  
"Pidge?" He whispered, but there was no response. A little louder, "Hey, Pidge?" She was completely out. 

  
Years ago he would have just picked her up, carried her to a more suitable place to sleep. It had been a long running joke in the Castle, paladins taking turns to tuck the smallest of their group away from her tech and under a blanket. She was taller now, an adult, but he wasn't worried about his ability to carry her, more that it felt... Inappropriate to put her to bed here, where her family was, in a space they didn't share. The idea of running into Matt, or her father on his way to her room made him feel a strange anxiety in his throat that he'd never felt when passing Shiro in the night, a teenaged Pidge clamped to his back like a gangly limbed limpet.  
  
Her breath was warm even through his shirt, the line of her body pressed against his side. The sofa was comfortable enough and there were plenty of pillows and blankets. He could just set her up down here, then escape back to the guest room.    
She had work in the morning, and he was leaving for the Tryna System tomorrow. He should wake her up.  
"Pidge- come on, time for bed." She breathed in suddenly, grumbling in her sleep. She turned further into him and he shook her gently again. "Pidge?"  
"No," she mumbled, "no bed. Bed bad," his chest shook with suppressed laughter, which dislodged her more. Still without opening her eyes she shuffled closer, arms wrapping around his neck. " 'S warm,"   
"Pidge, we should go to bed. You want Matt to catch us like this? You'll never hear the end of it." She grumbled something into his neck that sounded suspiciously like " _screw Matt_." as he gently jostled her even as she fought him, sleep still thick in her voice  
"You've had so much sugar today, don't you want to brush your teeth?" He changed tactic, and pinched the underside of her arm. This time a yelp formed in her throat but became a whine behind closed lips, and she let go of his neck, sitting back and rubbing the heel of her palm against one eye.  
"That was mean. You're mean."  
"Just because you _can_ fall asleep anywhere, doesn't mean you _should_." He pushed her hair out of her eyes so that he could look at her, "I'm leaving tomorrow. Get some proper sleep, so you can be up to see me off, yeah?" She nodded, still rubbing at her face,  then sat back and stretched.  
"I was so warm, too. You're like a furnace." She slumped back against the arm of the sofa, and Keith untangled a leg to prod her with his foot.  
"Hey, bed. In an actual bed, not down here."  
"You may be the Leader of the Paladins but you ain't the boss of me," she mumbled, and he poked her again. "Fine, fine, OK, get your giant feet out of my face."  She began moving the blankets, dumping them at the foot of the sofa. Keith stood up, turning off the television, also feeling the loss of the warmth their blanket cocoon had created.

  
"I'll see you in the morning, OK?" She shuffled like a tiny zombie towards the door, Keith behind her with a hand on her back to guide her as she rubbed her glasses on her sleeve, barely looking where she was going.   
"OK, Pidge." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first two parts I wrote were 2k~ words. This one is 4989?!  
> I could have split it up but I couldn't pick a middle ground. They're both awkward sillies though. As an ace person I really enjoy the headcanon that Keith and Pidge are each somewhere on the ace spectrum. It's what got me onto ao3 in the first place- I was googling to see if anyone else could see ace traits in Keith. So this might end up with me venting about weird ace stuff through one or both of them.


	4. "Don't be a stranger"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wolf looked up at him, head cocked, yellow eyes wide with a pleading look and he whined. Keith shot him back a look of mild irritation.  
> "We can't hang around all morning. We've got work to get back to."  
> He'd been trying not to think about it. He'd been focusing on anything but that, but when his wolf fixed him with a stare his shoulders sagged a little. Pidge wasn't here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I tack an end on this one.

The mornings are cold too. Before the sun can rise high -it strikes Keith as odd how that sounds in his head, only one sun- the sky is ice grey, cloudless and the breeze biting at any bare skin. He hung by the wall of the hangars to shield himself a little more.

  
The small cruiser loomed above him, silently coaxing him to rejoin the stars. Funny how this hunk of smooth navy metal, the cramped cockpit and blinking lights he'd soon be inside and surrounded by felt more like home than the planet he'd been born on. The off-white and orange metal works of the garrison base were familiar, but still instilled a strange taste in the back of his throat; too many mixed memories. His blade uniform was another comfort, light armor holding him together and fitting against his skin better than any civilian garments could. A hat might be nice though- his ears were cold and he didn't feel like pulling his hood up just yet.  
  
It wasn't all bad. The break had been more welcomed than he'd thought. Shiro was always telling him to take it easy sometimes, and he couldn't even call him a hypocrite anymore, knowing he'd been back to Earth himself several times- gone out on what most people would call easy missions- before joining up with Allura and the others.

Maybe he could admit that it had been nice. Sleeping in a little longer than needed, earth showers were a thing that most other planets didn't seem to understand- especially not with the kind of water pressure from the Garrison-issued estate that everyone used as a base. Seeing familiar faces- Matt being one of the good memories of the Garrison, Pidge a grounding force that he could relax around.   
He and Pidge had slipped back into that familiarity with so much ease, the only time it felt surreal was when he expected Hunk or Lance to jump in with a quip, or he'd glance around and see the warm earthy tones of a kitchen lit up by the autumn sun instead of the harsh white and steel of a space ship between them and the darkness of space.  
  
Speaking of which, he'd have to start running final checks soon, getting ready for launch. Everything was packed onto his ship, the test samples of the new food supplies, his own small pack of belongings. All the major things like fuel and safety checks had been done while he waited. The wolf had given up investigating the hangar, nothing to interest him further and had flopped to the ground, muzzle resting on crossed paws. A few times the shadows of people passing had crossed the vicinity of the hangar and both man and wolf had looked up, only to huff in unison and return to contemplation and napping respectively.  
  
"Well." He stood up straight and stretched his back. "I guess we should make a move, buddy."   
The wolf looked up at him, head cocked, yellow eyes wide with a pleading look and he whined. Keith shot him back a look of mild irritation.  
"We can't hang around all morning. We've got work to get back to."  
He'd been trying not to think about it. He'd been focusing on anything but that, but when his wolf fixed him with a stare his shoulders sagged a little. Pidge wasn't here.  
  
He wasn't pining. He wasn't going to be petty; they both had important work. He knew from what others had told him that Pidge kept strange hours, was yet another member of their team working themselves to the bone. Wormhole tech didn't just design and build itself, even with Altean plans provided. She had been made head of that project, and it sounded like even with all the bodies assigned to her, she was still doing most of the leg work, ironically for the former left arm. If she wasn't here, it wasn't a slight against him.  
  
The wolf whined again and nudged his arm with his snout. "I told you, no teleporting. You don't know what she's in the middle of."  
He huffed, and then ears pricked and he glanced out of the hangar.  A figure was running full pelt across the tarmac. They were slight, short, a leather jacket over a white button shirt and Garrison issue trousers and he nearly turned away again until the splash of purple caught his eye.  
Who he'd thought was probably a cadet late for drills was Pidge. The wolf popped out of existence, reappearing at her side and bringing her the rest of the way, depositing her in front of Keith with a proud toss of his head.

  
She bent over double, gasping for breath, raising an arm weakly to pat at the wolf's shoulder "Th- Thanks, puppy-" The wolf drew up, wagging his tail. For some reason he loved it when people fussed over him as though he were the size of a Pomeranian.  
Straightening up, another rasping gasp filled her chest and he could finally see her face, damp with sweat and flushed from her hairline down to her neck.   
"Sorry-sorry I'm so sorry! I kept  _telling_ Smith I had an important meeting and he just kept  _babbling_ on about wanting to adjust the polarities and I just wanted to  _kill him_ -"  
"Breathe, Pidge." He put his hands on her shoulders and the wolf pressed up behind her, steadying her. She slumped back into his fur for a moment, and then grimaced and started shrugging her jacket and scarf off.   
"Hey, you'll catch cold-"  
"I'm gross, I can't- I can't-" she puffed, struggling as her arms got caught in her sleeves, and he realised her voice was cracking, eyes overly bright as frustration and overexertion brought tears to them, teeth clenched in a cross between a snarl and a grimace. 

  
"Come here," he led her to a bench and caught her easily round her waist, picking her up and popping her gently on it, letting her get her breath back as he took her wriggling arms and eased her out of the jacket. He passed it to her and she unceremoniously dumped it on the floor, but wrapped the scarf into a roll and held onto it on her lap, still breathing unevenly.   
"Did you really run all the way here?" He couldn't keep the amusement out of his mouth and she glowered.  
"I said I'd see you off, didn't I? I was going to get that meeting out of the way, get coffee for us both, and walk over all- all calm and not running and sweaty, maybe even bribe that cadet to take me in a trolley." She grumbled, taking in another shuddering breath.  
"I'm just glad you came. So's he." He jerked his thumb at the wolf who was trying to wriggle his face under Pidge's arm. "I think he'd bring you with us if he could."  
"I wish," Pidge laughed, some of the tension leaving her as she got her breath back and pet his large blue ears.

  
"Another time, maybe?" Keith ventured, picking up her jacket and dusting it off to give his hands something to do.  
"Yes." She grinned at him, "Definitely." He straightened to find her face level with his, strands of hair escaping what must have been a neat ponytail before her little work out and sticking to her forehead. He smiled back, finding himself almost drinking her in, trying to commit her grin to memory. This was too fleeting, this time with one of his favourite teammates. Swapping messages and chatting through videos were one thing, but being here in the warm presence of family brought an ache to his chest. He didn't want to leave.  
  
"Here," Pidge grabbed his wrist and yanked him closer; he stumbled over his feet and his legs bumped the table as she brought him in to stand between her dangling legs. He sputtered for a moment, completely bewildered and flustered by the sudden contact and the warmth of her legs against his thighs.  
She bent over his arm where it pressed to her stomach, tapping at the device strapped over his sleeve. The screen flashed a little as it swapped between windows and tabs, before she released him, looking back up. "Dates for the Winter Solstice party. Matt and I are planning it- we're all gonna meet up at the base, hang out and then there's the official Garrison event that we have to go to." She pulled a face at the last part, but then shook her head at him. "Our party will be way better, Hunk's already sending me new plans every day. Shiro is coming, and Allura and Lance and Romelle and Coran. You have to come too."  
"I'll do my best." He said and she jabbed his chest, though he barely felt it through the plates of his uniform.  
"No excuses. You promise me right now that you'll come." Pidge glared up at him and he wasn't entirely sure if she was actually being serious or not- there was no hint of humor in those eyes and he raised his hands in surrender. 

  
"OK. I'll come." He checked the screen calendar, biting his lip, "My next job should take around two phoebs, so if it goes smoothly I should be able to make it."  
"Don't make me call your mother." Pidge warned, and he quirked a smile in response.  
"I'll be there."  
" _Promise._ " she repeated, nudging him a little with her sneaker, the movement pressing her leg against his for a moment. She held out her pinkie finger, and he stared at it blankly, then back at her. Pidge rolled her eyes, and caught his matching finger with hers, holding them up between them. Keith frowned at their fingers locked together, but didn't question it.  
"Please, Keith."  
"I promise, Pidge. I will come to the party. I'll wear a stupid sweater and a paper hat and everything." Pidge burst into giggles at his words, and relaxed the crook of her finger, letting him cover her hand with his and hold it up, his own version of a gesture of promise.  
"Now I'm not sure I believe you- a paper hat?"  
"I'll even let you pick the colour." She snorted again and he laughed with her, foreheads dangerously close to bumping together. He stopped laughing first, letting her giggles subside as he looked down at their clasped hands, and then back at her as she wiped one eye.  
"I have to get going." Her smile turned sad, gaze down off somewhere past the wolf's head still propped on the table next to them and her grip tightened for a moment.  
"I know." Then she looked up, grin back and eyes bright. "You write us, mister. All of us."  
Keith nodded, finally letting go of her hand but reluctant to step out of her space.  
"Keith."  
"Y-Yeah. I'll set reminders and everything. Promise."  
"Let me down." She tapped his leg, "I want to hug you goodbye, sweaty shirt and all, no escape for you."

Keith didn't step back, instead he leaned into the small space between them and hooked his arms under hers, planting his hands gently between her shoulders. He felt her freeze a little against him, not expecting him to initiate, but wrapped her arms around his back and squeezed, resting her chin on his shoulder. Her skin was hot, presumably from the exercise and her hair tickled his nose as he leaned his cheek against her head and held a little tighter, silently marveling at how easy it would be to wrap his arms all the way around her.  
"Angle's better like this." He said gruffly and she nodded against his neck but didn't say anything.  
  
Keith let go first, swapping up to hold her arm as she hopped down from the bench, walking together to the opening of the ship. They stood awkwardly for a moment, Pidge shrugging her jacket back on and wrapping the scarf around her neck and Keith tugging at his gloves.   
"Don't be a stranger, Keith. Or you." Pidge turned to pat the giant wolf, grinning as he chuffed at her in response. "Bae-Bae likes having a friend."   
Keith nodded, taking a breath as he took the first step backwards onto the steps of the ship. The wolf kept his eyes on Pidge for a moment, and then flashed out, reappearing at the top of the steps.  
"We'll see you around, Pidge." She gave him a half smile and a mock salute, touching two fingers to her forehead before flicking them out to the side.  
  
Final checks. All levels read normal. The fabric on the pilot's seat creaked reassuringly as he sat back to check a panel over his head. Behind him the wolf heaved a sigh as he started the ship forwards, out of the hangar. Back to business as usual. Back out into the stars. They hadn't even left the ground yet and the familiar thrill flipped through his stomach as the ship hummed to life around him.  
  
  
Pidge had retreated back to a safe distance behind the marked out borders, watching as the ship rolled out in the distance over the tarmac. Even from here the air shimmered around the engines as they heated up. The air was shifting, threatening to knock her back as wheels left the ground and she braced her legs and pulled her jacket closed. She imagined his hands on the controls, all poise and seriousness as he'd always been as a pilot. Thought of the cosmic creature that would be sitting behind him, his only company out in space until he reached his destination.  
  
Finally, with a hissing roar that had the wind whipping around her the small ship took off, gaining speed as it rose, higher and higher until it was a dark speck in the clear sky. Until it disappeared from sight.

  
Pidge tucked Keith's scarf closer around her face, watching the sky for another minute before she turned and walked slowly back up to the base.  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got distracted and started writing a whole Solstice party thing that kind of got away from me. I'm debating posting it or not seeing as it's now... you know. January.
> 
> I like the idea that Keith would eventually be able to initiate hugs as he got older and more comfortable with friends. 
> 
> I have a few one-shots that kind of carry on from this, that I would like to post sometime but I'm also not writing in any sort of order so it's an internal struggle of post and share, or wait and get some semblance of order?
> 
> [My Twitter](www.twitter.com/FeatherStitched) where I've been doodling Matt and Keith for days bc I have a serious problem.


End file.
